The first contact with
We are awaited by the comrades of Batay Ouvriye, a trade union and popular organisation in struggle against occupation. They take us directly to a welcome reception in one of their offices in Belair. On our way we can see Brazilian soldiers in the streets, armed to their back teeth, a copy of the Yankees in
Some forty people are waiting for us. The Brazilian representation fills the house. The congenial faces of the Haitians make us feel at home. On the wall there is a poster saying in Creole “now se wowoli, nam mitan pitini” (we are small plants but plentiful; they can tread on us, but they cannot take our fragrance away). George of Batay Ouvriye starts the activity. A worker tells us how the Brazilian troops repress demonstrations. A landless peasant speaks of the occupations; a woman workers of a maquila tells us that factories to not allow trade unions.
The salary of a maquila worker is of $60 a month. Marceline, an old woman worker, shows the gaps where her teeth have been. She says that the manager of the factory pushed her down to the floor and broke her teeth. She says that her hair is grey now and that she will not see the revolution, but it will come and her grandchildren will be able to live in better conditions. Torinho, of the Metal workers trade union of
On our way to the hotel, another comrade of Batay shows us the statues of Toussant L’ouverture and Dessaline, heroes of Haitian independence. He tells us that the bus strike that has now been on for ten days was practically a general strike for people could not and did not wish to go to work. The weather is getting hotter: “Welcome to Rebel